|
Oct. 16.
New York. |
692. Governor Burnet to the Council of Trade and Plantations. Abstract. Encloses with comments 20 acts of New
York passed in a sessions begun 16th May and ended 27th July,
and Minutes of Council, 21st Dec., 1720–19th Sept., 1721. Continues: I come now to give your Lordships an account of my
transactions at Albany which have given me no small satisfaction and I hope will not be displeasing to your Lordships.
I came to Albany on the 29th of August and ye Indians came
thither on 1st September the day appointed which is not usual
with them and in greater numbers than have been known for
many years. At first in private conferences I expostulated
with them about their late engagements with the French.
These they imputed to a few ill men among them and the ill
effect that false reports spread by the French concerning me,
had among the young men but said that was now over, and they
were satisfyed that it was all a trick to mislead them against
their true interest. I told them that I knew that Cannasora
an Onondaga Indian, who has been the most leading man
among them and their Speaker for these thirty years, was
a French spy and had been the cheif ill instrument among them
and desired as a token of their good intentions that they would
choose another Speaker, which they readily did; I conversed
with some of them every day by an Interpreter and grew so
well acquainted and familiar with them, that they were never
observed to be better pleased and when I was fully informed
of their dispositions, I made them my general Speech or Propositions, and they gave me a very satisfactory and hearty
answer. Refers to copies enclosed. Continues:—And that I
might improve their present good humour to the best advantage
I have employed the £500 granted this year by the Assembly
cheifly to the erecting and encouraging a settlement at Tirandaquet a creek on the Lake Ontario, about 60 miles on this side
of Niagara whither there are now actually gone a company
of ten persons with the approbation of our Indians and with
assurance of a sufficient number of themselves to live with them
and be a guard to them against any surprize, and because the
late President of Councill Peter Schuylers son first offered his
service to go at the head of this expedition I readily accepted
him and have made him several presents to equip him and give
him a hansome allowance for his own salary and a commission
of Captain over the rest that are or may be there with him and
Agent to treat with the Indians from me for purchasing land etc.
This company have undertaken to remain on this settlement
and that never above two shall be absent at once, and tho' these
have the sole encouragement at present out of the publick
money yet there is nothing that hinders as many more to go
and settle there or anywhere else on their own account as
please. This place is undisputedly in the Indians possession
and lyes very convenient for all the far Indians to come on
account of trade from which the French at Niagara will not
easily hinder them because first it must be soon known and is
against the Treaty and besides they may easily slip by them
in canoes and get to this place before the french can catch
them in the pursuit, if they should attempt to hinder them.
This my Lords is the beginning of a great trade that may be
maintained with all the Indians upon the Lakes and the cheapness of all our goods except powder above the french will by
degrees draw all that trade to us, which cannot better appear
than by the french having found it worth while to buy our
goods at Albany to sell again to the Indians. Wherefore to
break that practice more effectually, I have placed a sufficient
guard of soldiers on the carrying place to Canada and build
a small block house there with the remainder of the £500 before
mentioned. As to Niagara I did write to the Governour of
Canada to complain of all the unwarrontable steps he has taken,
and among others of his erecting a blockhouse at Niagara before
the Treaty of limits had setled who it belongs to. I received
his answer at Albany in which he flatly denyes most of the facts
I complain of. But as to Niagara he pretends possession for
above fifty years first taken by Mr. de la Sale. This letter from
the Governour of Canada was of great use to me with the Indians,
for I made a french Interpretress explain it all to them by which
they saw that he was obliged to disown all his proceedings
with them. And that his pretensions to Niagara as belonging
to the French was quite contrary to what Mr. de Longueil sent
by the Governour of Canada to treat with them had told them
last year, for he acknowledged to them it was their land and
that he only desired leave to keep a magazine there to supply
them with powder and other necessarys. Upon this occasion
the Indians inform'd me that fort Frontenac had been built
by the French by meanes of the like pretences formerly, by first
erecting a block house on land which they owned to belong to
the Indians and saying it was only to be a magazine to supply
them with goods and when afterwards the Indians found them
fortifying there, they said it was to have a post to defend the
5 Nations from the attempts of some northern Indians who
intended to invade them. This they own they were foolish
enough to be deceiv'd by thirty years ago but were now resolv'd
not to let Niagara be fortified tho' it had been so once already
by the French and they had pulled it down. I can not think
yt. ye french having been long ago at a place can give them a
title to it without the consent of the native Proprietors for it
it is only derelicta that become primi occupantis but Niagara
and a thousand miles further all round the Lakes, has been all
along used by the five Nations as their hunting country after
having subdued the old inhabitants, before the french came
into America, all which right the five Nations have conveyed
to the Crown of Great Britain in these express words in their
reply to Lt. Governor Nanfan at Albany, 19th July, 1701, "We
do give up and render all that land where the beavor hunting
is which we won in war eighty years ago to Coraghkoe our Great
King and pray that he may be our Protector and Defender
there." And in that very treaty the Indians complain of the
French setling at the Detroit between Lake Erie and Lake
Huron, as an encroachmt. on the land of their beavor hunting.
This title of the 5 Nations or Iroquois as the french call them
to the hunting country appears by the maps of the french
travellers at Baron La Hontan. and Pere Hennepin in those
countrys where in several parts it is mark'd Chasse des Iroquois
and in the late french map of ye Louissiane published in 1718
there is in one place mark'd Nation detruite par les Iroquois. I
can not see what the French can pretend to invalidate this title,
tho' by their unwearied application they have been continually
making encroachments on this hunting country of the five
Nations and small settlemts. in the best spots of it particularly
at Le Detroit beforementioned which is the richest spot of all.
To shew your Lordships what pains the french take to gain
our Indians notwithstanding the Govr. of Canada's protestations
to me of the contrary; while I was at Albany there came an
Indian express from the Senecas country to his brethren at
Albany telling them that there was some french men come to
their homes to warn and conjure them not to go to Albany,
for that I designed to cut them all off, that I might get their
land and that if they would have some to go to Albany to let
it be only a few old men and that even they would be in great
danger of being poysoned, so restless as [?are] the french in
these parts but the Indians I am resolved to keep them at a
distance for the future, and I hope next year when I have
received the King's present that I shall fix what I have now
begun on such a foot that the french will not be able to
defeat it, wch. makes me beg your Lordships to obtain so
necessary a supply for me for it has been a great charge and
expence to myself besides the allowance of the Assembly to
make a noble present this time because it was necessary etc.
I did intend to setle the Palatines in the middle of our Indians,
but finding they could not be brought to that I have granted
their request to have a licence to purchase of the nearest Indians,
the Mohocks, etc., wch. I have yeilded them with this condition
that it be not nearer than a fall in the Mohocks River which is
forty miles above fort Hunter and four score from Albany by
which ye frontier will be so much extended and those people
seem very well satisfy'd etc., and as a proof of it, all that did
live in a lawless manner before on ye land at Schokery which
had been granted to other proprietors have now actually taken
leases from them and attorned tenants to them etc. I will at
this time only repeat my instances that you will please to obtain
the 2 pr. cent. Act to be confirmed, the King's presents for the
Indians to be sent and the stores for these garrisons, all which
we are in the utmost want of and I hope your Lordships will
think so promising beginings, may deserve a more particular
protection and encouragement. Set out, Doc. Hist. of New
York, I. 289. Signed, W.Burnet. Endorsed, Recd. 6th, Read
20th Dec., 1721. 13½ pp. Enclosed, |
|
692. i. Governor Burnet's speech to the Five Nations of
Indians at Albany, 7th Sept., 1721. Set out, N.Y.
Col. Docs. V. pp. 635–638. Same endorsement.
5¾ pp. |
|
692. ii. Answer of the Five Nations to preceding. Albany,
9th Sept., 1721. Set out, N.Y. Col. Docs. V. pp.
638–641. Same endorsement. 2¾ pp. [C.O. 5, 1053.
ff. 4–10v., 11v.–14v, 15v.] |
Oct. 17.
Whitehall. |
693. Council of Trade and Plantations to Lord Carteret.
Enclose following for H.M. approbation. Annexed, |
|
693. i. Draught of H.M. Additional Instruction to Governor
Lord Belhaven. Whereas by the 88th Article of
Our Instructions, you are restrained from granting
unto any person or persons any lands which now are
or hereafter shall be in our power to dispose of, in any
of Our Islands, until you receive Our further orders
therein. And whereas it has been represented to
us by Our Commissioners for Trade and Plantations,
that it would very much conduce to the benefit of
this Our Kingdom, if not only Tobago, but the other
Charibbee Islands were planted and settled. It is
therefore Our will and pleasure, and We do hereby
give you full power and authority, with the advice
and consent of Our Council of Barbados, to make
grants of land in Tobago to be pass'd under the seal
of Our said Island under the following restrictions as
to planters from Charibbee Islands, number of acres in
grant and cultivation of same, obligation to keep white
servants, prohibition of planting sugar canes, encouragement of planting cocoa, anatto, and indigo, payment of
quit-rents (2/6 per 100 acres), and 4½ per cent. as proposed, 14th Sept. and 4th Oct. supra. [C.O. 29, 14.
pp. 250–254.] |
| Oct. 20. |
694. Robert Armstrong to Charles Burniston, Surveyor
General of H.M. Woods. Refers to letter of 20th Nov. last.
Continues:—Upon my surveying the woods, I find in Newhampshire, there was upwards of 25,000 loggs cutt about one
year before I entred upon my post, and that two thirds of said
loggs was from upwards of 24 in. to above 30 and 20 ft. long.
all cutt into suitable lenghts, and brought down to the severall
mills in New Hampr. to be sawed into plank boards, and other
timber. Estimates that for 20 years where there was one mast
sent home by contract for H.M. service there was 500 cutt or
destroyed, all or the most part out of New Hampshire etc., and
there is likewise some thousands of loggs cutt in the abovesaid
woods, much about the same dimentions in order to be brought
to the waterside, to be conveyed to the mills. The waste is
due partly to the penning of the Acts, and to the Surveyor's
receiving money from the loggers etc. Signed, Robt. Armstrong. Endorsed, Recd., from Mr. Burniston, 5th, Read 9th
Feb., 1721/22. 3pp. [C.O. 5, 868. ff. 161–162v.] |
Oct. 21.
St.James's. |
695. H.M. Instructions to Lt. Governor Hope, with Instructions relating to the Acts of Trade and Navigation. [C.O.
5, 191. pp. 308–353.] |
Oct. 25.
Whitehall. |
696. Council of Trade and Plantations to Lord Carteret.
Enclose following for H.M. approbation (v. 26th Sept.). |
|
696. i. Draft of H.M. Additional Instructions to H.M
Governors of New York, N. Jersey, Carolina and
Barbados. Whereas by Our Instructions to you for
the Governmt. of our sd. Island of Barbados etc. you
are empower'd by the first part of the 63 Art. thereof
to prefer any Minister to any Ecclesiastical Beneficc
in that Island who produces a certificate from the
Right Reverend Father in God the Lord Bishop of
London or some other Bishop of his being conformable
to ye doctrine and discipline of the Church of England,
and of a good life and conversation; It is nevertheless
Our Will and Pleasure that you do not prefer any
Minister to any Ecclesiastical Benefice in that Island
without a certificate from the Right Reverend Father
in God the Ld. Bp. of London of his being conformable
to the doctrine and discipline of the Church of England,
and of a good life and conversation. Mem. in margin:
Nicholson's Instructions for Carolina dated 27th Sept.
1720 Art. 75 & 79; Burnet's for New Jersey, 3rd
June, 1720, Art. 76 only; New York Art. 71 & 75.
And whereas by the 67 Art. of Our sd. Instructions
you are empower'd to admit schoolmasters coming
from this Kingdom to keep school in Barbados by
virtue of your own licence, in case persons with licences
from the sd. Bp. of London shall be wanting there.
It is also Our Will and Pleasure that no person be
henceforward admitted to keep school in that Island
without the licence of the said Ld. Bp. of London.
Mem. There is no such article in the New Jersey
Instructions. [C.O. 324, 10. pp. 437–439.] |
Oct. 26.
Whitehall. |
697. Council of Trade and Plantations to the Lords of the
Treasury. Refer to letter of 4th Aug. relating to building of
new rooms. Conclude: Wee now are oblig'd to acquaint your
Lordships, that the rain comes in so very much, it will be impossible in a short time for us to sitt in the Office, unless your
Lordships shall be pleas'd to give speedy orders for repairing
the same, and for building of the rooms mentioned etc. [C.O.
389, 37. pp. 210, 211.] |
| [Oct. 27.] |
698. Joshua Gee to the Council of Trade and Plantations.
Memorial upon the Trade of the Plantations. The Settlement
of Plantations and the Act of Navigation have greatly encreased
our shipping etc. Continues: We have by the favour of our
Plantation Trade and Newfoundland Fishery so encreased our
shipping and navigation, that we greatly exceed the Dutch
shiping in number of tonnage and even in hiring out our ships
to frieght etc. We formerly paid the Portuguese and Spaniards
5 or £600,000 yearly for sugar, tobacco, indigo etc., with which
we are now supplyd from our own Plantations, over and above
what we re-export. We still pay Muscovy, Sweden and Denmark
7 or £800,000 yearly for iron, copper, hemp and flax, boards
and timber, which might be plentifully supplyed from our own
Plantations, by the labour of our own poor. I don't mention
pitch and tar because we are discharged from the yoke we were
under to the Swedes and Russians for that comodity. And
some further care and incouragement from the Government,
would put the inhabitants upon raising and providing all the
rest of the aforesaid comoditys. For we have an intire forest
of 14 or 1500 miles long and 3 or 400 broad, filled with multitudes of trees of all kinds, the country abounding with navigable
rivers for bringing down timber etc., with vast quantity of iron
mine, and some other mettals, and with extraordinary land for
producing hemp and flax, what is wanting is to give proper
incouragment to the inhabitants, to begin upon these manufacturys. The merchants are of opinion that taking of all dutys
from timber and boards [imported from the?] Plantations, will
be sufficient incouragment for importing those comoditys;
that granting liberty to import pig or sow iron free from all duty
will be sufficient encouragment for that comodity; that
allowing £6 pr. ton upon flax may be [?sufficien]t to encourage
the importation of it. But as very little progres has been
[made] in sowing and raising hemp and as it is impossible to
carry on the Navigation of [Engl]and without a supply of 7 or
8000 ton of hemp from abroard and the Czar having got all the
principal ports from whence we used to be supplyed into his
own hand, and being a Prince of deep penetration and enquiry
etc. will doubtless load this comodity with so many difficulties,
that we shall not have it otherwise than upon his own terms,
and perhaps in his own ships: Therefore 'tis humbly conceived,
that the Government ought to take some extraordinary care,
to set the people of America before any other imployment
whatsoever upon sowing raising and dressing of hemp. If
£10 per ton was given by way of bounty, for the term of 7 years,
it would be the best money that coud be laid out, for tho' a
bounty of £6 per ton has been allowed for 16 or 17 years past,
yet it has not produced the importation of one pound in all
that time. When the Swedish ports in Livonia etc. were open
to us, hemp seldom exceeded 20s. pr. hundred, but since those
ports came into the Czar's hands, he has found out methods
already to make it 7 or 8s. pr. hundred dearer to the consumer.
The persons concerned in building and fitting of ships, as well
as several merchants, are under direfull apprehensions what
the consequence may be, if he should pursue those measures
etc. It will be nearly 7 years before people can get into a right
way of raising any great quantitys of hemp, etc., so that the
bounty to be given cannot amount to any large sume in that
time; but if by the last year of that terme, they should supply
us with 1000 ton, and the Government should distribute
£10,000 among our own inhabitants, by way of bounty, it
ought not so much as to be named, in comparison of the many
hundred thousand pounds, that are paid yearly to the Muscovites
etc. for naval stores. Altho' our planters are possessed of land,
they have wanted seed, some indeed have carryed over several
parcels in order to sow it, but their unskilfulness in the nature
of seeds, made their experiments unsuccessful, for they shipt
it off, and put it in the hold, where it heated, which rendered
it altogether useles, for once heated it will not grow. Proposes
that 3 or 400 bushels of hemp seed in cask, carried above deck,
be given to the most industrious planters etc. As we have made
a very great increase of our riches, by the goods [?brought] from
our Plantations and re-exported, many true lovers of their
country would rejoyce to see the other branches of the products
of America improved to the same advantages, and after we
have supplyed ourselves, then such bulky comoditys as will not
bear the roundabout navigation, of bringing home to England
and re-exporting to Portugal Spain and the Streights, should
be put under such a regulation, that they may become proper
merchandize; Now this might be done by taking off all
restraints from those comodities, that will not bear the extraordinary charge of bringing home from the place of growth
to England, and allowing them to be carryed thither directly,
which would employ the national stock, shiping and mariners
of this Kingdom, for want of which liberty, we loose the supplying the Streights etc. with rice, sugar, tobacco and a great
many other Plantation commodities. Gives instances. If
our ships were allowed to proceed directly to Spain, Portugal
or the Streights, [this King]dom would unavoidably have the
further advantage, of becoming the common [?port] for Holland,
Hamburgh, the Sound and Flanders, which may be seen by
what [is s]aid concerning our Newfoundland shiping; For this
Navigation will always supply a number of ships, ready to
take in goods, which may carry them for half the freights [?the
Frenc]h and Hamburghers can send out their ships for and
return. Then there must be a restraint laid upon all ships
belonging to the subjects of Great Brittain, from loading in
the Plantations, and carrying that loading to Portugall etc. and
returning back again to the Plantations without coming home
for England; this practice has been very prejudicial to our
Navigation, and may prove of pernicious consequence in time
to Great Brittain, and is the onely thing that can lead the people
in the Plantations, into an independency on England. For
they carry their lumber fish etc. directly to Spain etc. and there
frequently have lodyed for them, French silks, linnens and all
other things they want for the conveniencys of life, and England
is entirely cut out of the advantage of supplying them. If all
ships were obliged to come home to England, and clear out
from hence, the produce of all those comodities would be brought
home, and laid in English comodities; in short it would put
it out of the power of New England, or any other of the Colonies,
to beat us out of that trade: For they are now forced to be
supplyed with sailors from Europe, they give twice the wages
we doe, and their fitting out is near twice the charge of ours,
which is enough to give us all the advantages we can desire in
our Plantation trade, and will soon put an end to the apprehensions we have had, of being injured by the New England
ships etc. For they will scarcely be able to carry on any other
Navigation than coasting it from Plantation to Plantation,
and their Fishery, which will be as much our advantage as
theirs, for whatever profits they make, will be laid out in our
manufactures for their cloathing etc. Newfoundland ought
not to be considered as a Colony, and therefore should not be
laid under any of these restrictions, but esteemed as an English
Fishery, carryed on by our own ships, and the sailors fed and
cloathed with provisions from hence, who all return home at
the conclusion of the season, a very few onely excepted, who
stay behind to catch seal and divers land creatures for their
oyl, and fur, of which a very great advantage is made to this
Kingdom, and those that stay behind have their provisions
from hence, for besides fish in the season, the Country produces
litle but rocks and trees. |
|
Several objections have been made against making Naval
Stores in our own Plantations, but more especially against our
supplying our neighbours with them, but I shall make it appear,
that it is greatly the interest of England etc. It is objected
that if they make iron, they will fall into manufactures, and
make nails and other iron wares; To this 'tis answered, that
they have had iron works among them for 40 or 50 years past,
and have always had Spanish and Swedish iron as cheap to
a trifle as we, and in all that time never made anything, but
what 'twas impossible to subsist without; tho' they have
had abundance of good workmen gone over thither, whose
circumstances would not permit them to stay here. The
reason is plain, there is so much an easier subsistance to be made,
where land is of so smal a value, by a little farme and a smal
stock of cattle, that most of them slight manufacturies, and even
in New England (the poorest of all the Colonies and the fullest
of people) those few that do work will have near five times as
much for manufacturing nails and other things, as is given
for manufacturing in England, which is [?as much] for the bare
manufacturing, as 'twould cost to import them ready made
from [?England]. It must also be observ'd, that the country
abounding with great variety [?of game] fish and fowl, diverts
them from manufacturies and labour. This plenty[ ]
enclines them to a genteel way of living, and by the help of a
gun and tackle, they in a great measure supply their familys
with provisions; [?if] they exchange the produce of their farm
for clothing, their end is answered: Now if they could have
the additional oppertunity, of raising hemp and flax, which may
in great measure be carryed on by their servants and children,
such a rural way of life would be much better accomodated,
to the inclination of the inhabitants of our Plantations, than
the manufactures of England. |
|
The best article they have is shipbuilding, by which they
make the greatest returns, which ships when built are sent to
Portugal Spain and other parts of Europe, and many of them
are sold there. Smiths are required for shipbuilding as well as
making horse-shoes and ploughshares etc. If they should be
deprived of thls liberty, 'tis taking away from them that natural
right, which never fell upon any people that I have heard of,
except the Israelites etc. I mention this, because two severe
clauses were incerted a bill, brought into Parliament, which 'tis
to be feared were thrust into it by the private views of some
Ironmasters, who had not consideration enough to think of
the true interest of their country etc. The fondness of some
people to keep in the old track, has caused them to send their
emissarys about, and fill Gentlemen with notions, that if we
were supplyed with boards and timber from America, our Royal
Navy would thereby be deprived of a sufficient supply of masts.
But the whole supply of the Royal Navy rarely exceeds 300
trees in a year for masts, and what are 300 trees out of a forest
1500 miles long etc ? Others object against our supplying
our neighbouring Kingdoms with timber, alledging that if we
let Portugal and Spain have timber from our Plantations, they
will build ships of war, and may in time interrupt our Navigation
and Trade. But if we don't supply them, the Dutch will, with
as much East Country oak as they can want, which is much
better timber for shipping than our Plantations produce etc.,
etc. There is such a propensity in the land of America to run
into wood, that ground which has been tilled so long, that it
would bear nothing, has within the space of 20 years been
loaded with a vast number of trees, many of them about a
yard and a half about, 6ft. from the ground. Timber grows
there so very quick, that pine and most other sorts are at their
full growth in 50 years. As to hemp and flax, the Government
may save several times the amount of the bounty proposed
by taking off all drawbacks upon goods re-exported to our
Plantations. I could never see a reason why the subjects of
Great Brittain, who have all along paid very great taxes to
support the Government, and have been at the expence of
Convoys to protect the Plantation Trade, should bear so much,
and the Plantations who have never paid any taxes, should
not pay the comon duties of linnens etc. worn in England I
doubt there is a great deal of injury done to the trade of England,
under cover of this drawback, for several ships, the major part
of whose owners live in Holland, are loaden with linnens,
threads, and other Dutch effects, the master and two thirds
of the sailors being English, they come boldly to Cows or some
other port in the West, and there enter their goods inwards,
and re-export them for our Plantations, thus foreigners run
away with our trade. The most popular allegation for continuing these drawbacks is, that we ship them off to the Spanish
West Indies; but none of our colonies can pretend to any such
traffick, except Jamaica, and there has nothing been done that
way of late etc. The products of our Plantations being well
adapted for the Portugal and Mediterranian market, proposes
that Gibraltar and Port Mahon be made free ports etc. Sees
no objection to supplying the French Sugar Islands with
horses, provisions and lumber from our Plantations, as thereby
we become the carriers of their Plantation goods and increase
our Navigation etc. |
|
Adds a few remarks on some inconveniences attending our
settlements occasioned by misunderstandings between the
Governours and the Assemblies. The original cause of all
which I take to be this: The Governour being generally paid
by them, it gives them a handle to take too great libertys:
If he refuses to consent to such as they pass, it creates
misunderstanding etc. If the Governour and Assembly of
each Province were obliged to transmit all acts of Assembly
home to England, to be approved of by the King and Council,
before passed into a law, it would take away the cause of almost
all the debates and quarrels that have happened, and prevent
the passing a great many laws that are prejudicial not only to
the inhabitants of the Plantations but even to those of Great
Brittain. When parties run high, we see they have power
enough to make laws for persecuting one another, as in the case
of Carolina; to procure laws for a monopoly in trade, adapted
to the purposes of particular men, as in the case of the Indian
skin trade in Virginia; and to make laws to destroy marriage
settlements, as in the case of Rebecca Richardson in Pensilvania;
to make laws to lay a duty of tonnage upon all English shipping,
or upon ships built in the Plantations, the major part of whose
owners dwell in England; which laws I am informed are not
onely in force in Pensilvania, but New England, and some other
of the Provinces, to the very great discouragement of the
Navigation of Old England. Endorsed, Recd. 27th Oct., Read
8th Nov., 1721. Torn. 10½ pp. [C.O. 323, 8. No. 25] |
Oct. 27.
Custom ho., London. |
699. Mr. Carkesse to Mr. Popple. Encloses following.
Upon No. v., the Commissioners of Customs are of opinion it
would be for the ease of trade and prevent disputes which may
happen between officers and merchants, if the fees were accordingly settled. But they doe not think the appointing officers
at Newfoundland will answer the end proposed, till a regular
Government, and a Court of Admiralty be settled there.
Upon No. ii., enquires whether a Court of Admiralty be as yet
fix'd at Nova Scotia. Signed, Cha. Carkesse. Endorsed, Recd.
2nd Nov. 1721, Read 25th May, 1722. 2 pp. Enclosed, |
|
699. i. James Menzies, Judge of the Admiralty, N.E., to
H.M. Commissioners of the Customs. Boston, N.E.,
25th July, 1717. Repeats his Memorial of Aug. 10th,
that the jurisdiction and Courts of Admiralty in the
Massachusetts Bay, New Hampshire and Rhode
Island, are mightily incroached upon by the Judges
of Common Law constituted by the authority of the
people in this country (except those of New Hampshire
who are constituted by the King) and thereby the
contravening of the Acts of Trade is encouraged,
threatening damage to the trade and manufactures
of Great Brittain, and in particular to the woollen
manufacture etc. The Judges of the Common Law
frequently prohibit the execution of decrees pronounced by me in consequence of the Acts of Trade
etc. Instances given etc. Signed, James Menzies.
Same endorsement. Copy. 3¾ pp. |
|
699. ii. Hibbert Newton, Collector of Nova Scotia, to
H.M. Commissioners of Customs. Anapolis Royal.
July 23, 1718. Here has been a considerable fishery
carried on this year, and I believe our Colony affords
one of the finest in the world out of which New England
reaps great benefit for returns both to Europe and the
West Indies etc. We require in return for what our
Colony produces, such commodities as are a great
advantage to Great Britain vizt. woollen and linnen
manufactures haberdashery and cutlery wares which
at present we are supplied with from Boston and do
take all the care imaginable that the European commodities are lawfully imported from Great Britain
by the produce of a cocqt. from the Custom ho. in
Boston for the want of which I made a small seizure
etc. As here are no Courts of Admiralty yet fixed I
have taken security till the tryall, etc. The goods I
seized were upon freight etc. The owners think it
a very great hardship, that the sloop should answer
for the master's ignorance etc. Copy. 1 p. |
|
699. iii. Mr. Armstrong, Collector, Piscataway, to the Commissioners of H.M. Customs. Custom ho., New England.
July 19, 1720. I received your letter dated 31st Oct.
last but on the 8th instant wherein your Honours
desires from time to time to be informed what manufactures of woollen and linnen are begun and carried
on in my district. New Hampshire have made but
little improvement in their woollens by reason for many
years past they have altogether gone upon lumber,
Navall Stores etc. But within this three years past
there is about 500 Irish Familys come over and settled
in and about this province who has put the inhabitants
here upon improving and making linnen fit for shirting
and sheeting and will do the same in the severall
Colonys wheresoever they settle (both as to linnen
and woollen). Refers to report and proposals by himself in 1709. Continues: It would have been of great
advantage to the Crown to have had our Navall
Stores from New England in exchange for our own
woollen manufactures, which was proposed severall
years agoe by Sr. Mathew Dudley and others. But since
that matter met with such various sorts of obstructions at home and being so often and to no purpose
recommended and earnestly sollicited by gentlemen
sensible of, and for the true interest of England, had
that matter been then obtained it would timely have
prevented the severall Colonys from raising and
improving their woollen manufactures which they
have now brought to great perfection both as to goodness and quantity. Several thousand poundsworth
of stuffs and druggetts, made in the severall Colonys
are sold in the shops at Boston. And since New
England is capable of producing their own manufactures as woollen, linnen, iron, copper and raising
of Navall Stores, and they are now fully bent that
nothing shall divert them from it, that I presume in
a few years they will set up for themselves independent
from England. In 1717 I made a seizure of a sloop
load of wooll, imported from one Plantation to another
contrary to the Act of 10th and 11th K. Wm. and the
same was adjudged a lawfull seizure and the wool
and vessel condemned according to law and a decree
given for sale of the same. Upon which the Courts
of Common Law here entred a prohibition agt. the
Judge of the Admiralty not to enter upon such actions
(as not being cognizeable) in his Court. So by this
means all our suites will be stopt if these prohibitions
be allowed, for its only from the jurisdiction and
authority of that Court the officers can be supported
for H.M. service. I am humbly of opinion that there is
an absolute necessity of having that Act more fully
explaind at home and that it may be in the power of
the Courts of Admiralty in the Plantations fully to
determine that matter otherwise the seizing of wool
here will be to no effect, and they will still be encouraged to transport wooll from one Colony to another,
which will unavoidably enable them to make greater
quantities of woollen manufactures. The greatest
stocks of sheep are raised to the southward vizt. in
the Massachusetts Goverment, Rhoad Island and
Connecticut, and I am credibly informed there is
upon three or four islands belonging to these Governments above 30,000 sheep besides the vast quantities
upon the maine and that the wool from these Islands
is yearly transported to the severall Colonys to be
manufactured to the great disadvantage of Great
Britain etc. Signed, Ro. Armstrong. Same endorsement. Copy. 3 pp. |
|
699. iv. John Jekyll, Collector, Boston, N.E., to Same. Aug.
19th, 1720. Reply to enquiries of Oct. 30th. As for the
woollens the countrey in generall make it for their
own use and weave it commonly themselves, there
are some fulling mills and not far from hence are made
good druggetts cambletts and serges which are sold
to the shops in this town and wore by the meanest
and labouring part the tradesmen and mechanicks
commonly appear in the produce of Europe. As for
the linnens the peasants generally wear what they
call homespun, wch. is made of cotton and linnen,
and lately some hundreds of familys from Ireland are
settled at the Eastward which make very good linnens
and diapers. As for the encouragment I only observe
this being a Charter Goverment and except our
Governour himself, the whole Councill and Assembly
are natives of New England and are very willing and
inclinable to think themselves independent or at least
capable of being so. Signed, John Jekyll. Copy.
1¼ pp. |
|
699. v. Extract of letter from Mr. Heathcote, late Surveyor
Genll. of the Northern Continent of America. That a
table of fees be established upon one equal foot for all
H.M. Custom houses on this Continent wch. would put
an end to all disputes of that sort and which are chiefly
in the Charter Governments, where all officers of the
Crowne are look'd upon as a nuisance. That Customhouse Officers be establish'd at Newfoundland that
being a door by which abundance of forrn. manufactures and other illegal trade is let into all H.M.
Plantacons, not only on this Continent but the West
Indies. Same endorsement. Copy. ¾ p. [C.O. 323,
8. Nos. 29, 29. i.–v.] |
Oct. 27.
St. James's. |
700. H.M. Warrant granting leave of absence from Montserrat to Lt. Governor Talmash for 18th months. Countersigned, Carteret. Copy. [C.O. 324, 34. p. 81.] |
Oct. 27.
St. James's. |
701. H.M. Warrant for the use of a new (silver) Seal of
South Carolina, the old (leaden) to be defaced and returned as
usual. Countersigned, Carteret. Copy. [C.O. 324, 34. pp. 78–80.] |
Oct. 28.
Council Chamber, South Carolina. |
702. Council of S. Carolina to the Council of Trade and
Plantations. The Journals of both Houses of Assembly, the
laws there past, and other papers wch. Mr. Lloyd will have the
honour to deliver you, and a very great part of our time having
been taken up in disputes and setling the Custom House and
Court of Admty. affairs, that the Acts of Trade may be duely
observed, to prevent the said Court of Admty. and Officers of
the Customs from setting up an independant jurisdiction and
power from that of the Government which they have pretended
to, while we humbly presume it our duty to inspect their
behaviour pursuant to H.M. Instructions to the Governour.
This, together with the great want of clerks to transcribe papers
are the reasons we would not now send yor. Lordps. the Journalls
of the proceedings of the Council, how farr we have complyed
with H.M. instructions, the names and characters of those
H.E. has honoured by appointing members of H.M. Council
and of such as may be proper to fill their places in case of their
death or absence etc. and many other papers, which we hope to
do by Mr. Yonge, who being deteined by the indisposition of
his family we expect will embark for England by the next safe
and good opportunity, and fully sattisfy yor. Lordps. in what
Mr. Lloyd may be now difficient. The country at present
enjoys a perfect tranquillity owing to ye prudent administration
of H.E. Genll. Nicholson. Desire their Lordships' good offices
to him and this Collony etc. Signed, Arthur Middleton, P.
Concill., Wm. Bull, A. Skene, Char. Hart, Fra. Yonge, Benja.
de la Conseillere, Benja. Schenckingh, William Gibbon, Ra.
Izard. Endorsed, Recd. 9th Jan., 1721, Read 17th April, 1722.
2 pp. [C.O. 5, 358. ff. 111, 111v., 112v.; and, (abstract, with
notes for reply) 5, 406. p. 2.] |
Oct. 28.
Whitehall, Treasury Chambers. |
703. Lords Commissioners of the Treasury to the Board of
Works, directing them to view the Office of the Lords Commissrs.
for Trade, and to return an estimate of repairs and works there
absolutely necessary to be done. Signed, H. Walpole. [C.O.
388, 78. ff, 1, 2.] |
| Oct. 30. |
704. Mr. West to the Council of Trade and Plantations.
Report upon several Acts of Jamaica, 1719–1721. Signed,
Richd. West. Endorsed, Recd. 31st Oct., 1721, Read 6th Aug.,
1724. 2¾ pp. [C.O. 137, 14. ff. 363–364v.] |
Oct. 30.
Jamaica. |
705. Governor Sir N. Lawes to the Council of Trade and
Plantations. Our Assembly met on the 17th instant according
to prorogation. Refers to Speech enclosed. Continues:—Altho'
I had so earnestly recommended to them the laying aside all
former disputes yet the first thing they enter'd upon was to
reassume a dispute they had in their former Sessions which
ought regularly by the Prorogation to have dropt but the
spiritts of contention so far prevailed that the members who
had signed the paper I mentioned in my last were ordered to
withdraw from the House. From such a beginning I have
but little hopes of their accomplishing anything I have recommended to them and really my Lords tis hardly possible to
express the innumerable difficultys H.M. Government here
lyes under it has neither mony nor credit. I myself am a year
and a quarter in arrears of my salary, many poor people who
have just demands on the publick lyes under great hardships
for want of their mony nor do I find the Receiver Generall
has as yet been able to discharge any part of Lord Hamilton's
demand and I cannot flatter myself that this Assembly will
reimburse the Treasury and how it shoud be expected I can
support the honour and dignity of my character as his Majesty's
Governor without either mony or credit I leave your Lordships
to judge. I am dayly more and more convinced that there is
no bringing these people to a sence of their duty but by settleing
H.M. Revenue by Act of Parliament equall to the charge of
the Government the necessity of this method I am perswaded
must appear to your Lordships now to be absolutely necessary
to be put in practice and I wait with impatience for your Lordships answer etc. The Law passed last Sessions for encouraging
the better settleing the East end of this Island has hitherto had no
effect and tho' I recommended to the Assembly to make such
alterations as might render it of reall service and advantage
to the country yet by their proceedings hitherto I don't find
a disposition in them to alter or amend that Law, so that I
really cannot press your Lordships to recommend the Act
transmitted for the King's allowance especially when considerd
that H.M. parts with more in escheats and otherwise than will
answer any benefit that is likely to accrue to the country by
the Act as it now is etc. Signed, Nicholas Lawes. Endorsed,
Recd. 6th Jan., Read 16th Feb., 172½. 3 pp. Enclosed, |
|
705. i. Speech of Governor Sir N. Lawes to the Council and
Assembly of Jamaica, 17th Oct., 1721. Recommends
the dropping of all disputes; the amendment of Act
for settleing the N.E. part of the Island, renewal of
Additional Duty Bill and subsistance of H.M. soldiers,
and the continuance of the service of the guard sloop
etc. Endorsed as preceding. Printed. 1 p. Price
one ryal. |
|
705. ii. Account of fortifications in Jamaica 25th March29th Sept., 1721. Signed, Richd. Mill, Recr. Genl.
4 pp. |
|
705. iii. Accounts of H.M. Revenue in Jamaica 25th March—29th Sept., 1721. Signed and endorsed as preceding.
4 pp. [C.O. 137, 14. ff 96–98v., 99v., 100v., 101,
102, 102v., 103v., 104v., 105, 106, 106v.] |
